When Your Knees Buckle
by potfpeep12
Summary: Why do your knees buckle? Nervs, Fear, Happiness? Phillip Diffy is gonna take you on ride,with the sneakiest peek of his diary, soon to be a best seller. One who could never find love. I doubt it. But what if....he only thinks of what ifs? adult refrnc
1. When Your Knees Buckle

**When Your Knees Buckle**

_When your knees buckle its usually because you're nervous. I've been nervous before. Nervous over girls, tests, speeches, metaphorically speaking, a near death experience. Call me clumsy, but I happen to run into that last one plenty. Like once before, I went rock climbing with my "uncle" Curtis. He unfortunately met with a unpleasantly cloudy, indistinct, and not to mention smelly body of water, in the middle of the cave. The Dan yr Ogof cave in Capri, Italy. There were four large lakes there, all together the cave ran about ten miles long. We tried our luck in going around the first lake. No good. Actually Curtis had me follow him through a short cut, and I ended up slipping and smacking my head on a small crystallized piece of rock. It went in about 3/4 into my skull. Extreme stitching!_

_So this is my very first diary entry, and I wanted to make it count. I plan to right about all my crazy adventures, and hopefully a love story or two, when hell freezes over. I want to make this a top seller, worldwide. Yes that's right, this is all going to be hard cover book one day. Maybe even bigger than the Twilight series now. So from here on out, I'm going to be referred to as..... Samuels, Jackson Samuels. That will even be the author name! Or not._

_I guess now's the time to tell you all my real name. Its Phillip Diffy. I go by Phil though. A little bit about me: I'm a 17 year old junior about to be a senior. I have dark brown hair, and I'm like 5'8", and I go to H.G. Wells Junior/Senior High. For now at least. I drive a black '89 Camero, just got it for my birthday. I want to be a famous writer when I grow up, won't be long, and it will be all thanks to you guys, and or girls._

"Oh god, what are you doing? Your little girly girl diary." _The usual greeting from my little sister Pim. Other than that, "Oh its you" or "Get lost loser." She's naturally aggressive. _

"Its not a diary! These are my memoirs! What do you want anyway?!" _I snap at her._

"The pizza's here, so go get it. Mom is busy giving Curtis a bath, and dad is working on getting us the hell out of here." _All I can think is, 'why can't you get it?' So I say..._

"Why can't you get it?"

"Because I don't feel like it. Now go, before I starve!" _She yells._

_So I walk down the stairs, and into the living room, and to our front door. _

"You guys always keep your pizza girl waiting?" _What I heard as I opened the door to a shivering pizza delivery women._

"Uh... No, I'm sorry I just... Sorry." _I stood at the door staring at the girl like a fool._

_The awkward silence lasted, for what seemed to be, ages until she broke it._

"So you gonna pay me, or what? Its gonna be thirteen fifty."

"Yeah, yeah here you go." _I handed her a ten and four ones._

"Here's your change, sir. I hate to ask, but why are you staring at me?"

_I took the change from her hand, and continuously stared at her, for no apparent reason._

"What, I was not staring. Just, thanks for the pizza. Bye"

_And I slammed the door in her face. Not in a mean way. I was just nervous, but I don't know why._

"You just took like five whole minutes to collect a pizza. Too bad I already ate in Austrailia." _Oh my gosh. Pim is the one who ordered the pizza. Now no ones going to eat it._

"Who was that Phil, at the door?" _My sweet, sweet mother compared to that devil Pim. It almost makes me sick to do it._

"Oh I ordered pizza. So, Curtis clean already?"

"Yep, no hastle this time either."

"Hey Phil. You know your father told you not to order in anymore? I'll cover for you this time."

"Thanks mom."

_See, my mom is like a saint who sadly gave birth to a demon. I feel so bad for her._

_I threw the pizza away, and headed off for bed._

'Hey. Heres your pizza.' She said walking into my room.

'Thanks, how about you stay and help me finish it?' I'm sitting on my bed watching her slowly step toward me.

'I don't know if my boyfriend would like that.' She straddles my waist.

'I can keep a secret.' I kiss her softly, while slowly guiding her body underneath mine.

_My pillow feels wet, and I hear a faint laughing from behind me. I lift my upper body, now I'm like a graph with a dotted line going straight up._

_An awkward smile creeps onto my lips at the moment. I turn toward my door._

"Pim! What the hell are you doing in my room?"

"Oh nothing, just came in to return your socks. I only stayed because I heard you mumbling about pizza and kissing."

"Get out!"

"You know your pants are kinda sticking..." _I point toward the door, and nag her to get out_.

_Obviously I have a thing for the pizza girl. Literally. I also have a bad feeling that these dreams won't stop until I do something about it. _

_I collapse back onto my pillow, after turning it to the other side of course, and think about how I'm gonna get over this. Truth is I've never once felt this way or had that kind of dream about a girl ever! It was good though._

_She was amazing. Long blonde hair, with a touch of wave in it. That cute little Dominos cap there required to wear. The amazing physique. She was like an angel but more suburban._

_So tomorrow I'm gonna go to Dominos and, maybe.....Oh I don't know! It'll come to me at the last minute I'm sure._

**First chapter is done! How'd you guys like it?? Good idea, going well so far??**

**Also I have three Pheely videos up on Youtube: pheelylover1212 is my user name.  
**

**Please check them out, comments are awesome!!! So are reviews, people!!!!!**


	2. Fleeings & Greetings

**When Your Knees Buckle**

"Phil honey. Wake up. Come on Phil your gonna be late."_ My mom is my own personal alarm clock._

_So I've decided to do my day as always, and record my days work everyday. I don't want to miss a beat. So yesterday was December 29th, and as you know, I've got a little crush on whats her face. So today I plan to order another pizza, if its her at the door, I turn up the charm. Not too much though, I'm already shockingly handsome and somewhat sensitive._

_Until next time, Phil (Not using Jackson Samuels)_

"Hey mom. What time is it?" I woke with the drowsiest look on my face.

"8:05 honey. Your gonna be for school." Wait a minute.

"Mom, today is Saturday. I don't have school." She dried her eyes, which seemed to be tearing at one point. I wondered what happened.

"Oh thats right. Sorry sweetie. Go back to bed of you want." She began cantering toward the door.

"Mom, is something the matter?" I ask her.

"I think you should come down stairs." I follow after her.

I reach the living room, to where I mount the couch and wait for mom to sit next to me. She plants herself on the edge of the love seat next to me and crosses her legs as always.

"Your father left this." She hands me a note.

**Barb, **

**My last few years in Pickford with you have been wonderful. I've developed a lot of new qualities, and made a lot of new friends. One of the new nice people that I've met was a girl. Her name is Felicity, and we hit it off once we started chatting. She's 20 years old and she really seems to like me. **

**I decided to go out on a limb, and tell her about the Future. We toured the time machine while you were grocery shopping yesterday. She seemed to enjoy our lifestyle, so I'm taking her to the future with me. This means I have had the time machine fixed for a while. I actually finished it last week by ordering a new flux generator, and installing it into the proton engine. **

**I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I just wasn't feeling my best, in 2008...**

"Goodbye Barb." I mocked.

Just at that moment my mother began to sob into my arm. Her eyeliner was begining to mesh with her tears, that fell down her face like black waterfalls. I've never once in my life seen my mother this upset. I don't really know how I feel about my dad right now. I know one thing though, I'm pissed.

"Have you told Pim, yet?"

"Not yet. I'm worried about how she'll take it."

"You probably don't wanna know." I say with a chuckle. Anything to help my mom.

She made no change in expression. Just a blank stare to the wall.

"You want me to make you breakfast, or something mom?"

"No, I think I'm gonna go take a walk. Do me a favor, don't say anything to Pim yet. I want to tell her myself."

I try to push the thought of my 38 year old dad dating some little 20 year old, out of my mind. Its hard enough knowing that he left us here in the present.

So I'm still gonna stick with my plans for today, and order a pizza.

"Um yes, I'd like to order in. Sure I'll take the special. A medium size pepperoni with thick crust. OK, I'll be ready, thank you." It wasn't her on the phone, but I'm pretty sure she'll be delivering it.

I sit on the couch, click the TV on and wait. Just as I'm about to fall asleep, I hear footsteps from the staircase.

"Wheres mom?" Its Pim.

"She went to the store."

"She just went yesterday." She then just walked off without a word. I thought I'd at least get 20 questions.

A few minutes later, she walks back in. "Someone's at the door." She says calmly. I'm quite surprised at her today.

"Its her." I quietly say to myself.

I open the door to see her waiting there, with a sly smile.

"Didn't you just order a pizza yesterday? She says seductively.

"Yeah, uh, that was me. How much?"

"Fifteen dollars please." So I gave her a twenty.

"Keep the change." I try to look slick, by resting my arm on the door frame but fall short by an inch. I'm on the floor now, and she's gasping outside the door.

"Are you OK?!"

"Oww. Oh man, I'm good. I totally ment to do that." She laughs, while helping me up.

"Yeah right. Umm, anyway thanks for the five bucks. I think I'll go get a footlong."

"Hey, what if I go with you? I'm starving, and I could pay. Save that money for your trust fund or something."

"Hmm, well if you're so hungry, why don't eat the pizza I just gave you? Or the full box of pizza I brouht here yesterday, that is now in the trash." She points to out garbage bucket.

I sigh while rubbing my palm to the back of my head. "Alright you caught me. Its true, I am anorexic." She laughs again, while dipping her head foward.

I laugh along this time, and she asks my name.

"So who are you, mystery man?"

"My name's Phil. And you are?"

"Well, Phil, my birth name is Oxcula." I felt confused, This absolutely gorgeous girl, has the name of a monster, or something. "But, I got it changed when I was 12."

"Then what's your name now?"

"Hold on. I barely know you."

"Well I want to know you, so, what can I do to make you feel more comfortable..... Oxcula?" She cringed, it seemed, at the mentioning of her name.

"How about you ask me to dinner, and I accept, and then I tell you my real name?"

"OK then, would you like to go out to dinner..." Suddenly I here guitar. Its sounds like a song. A song I know. Its her plays a song I'd recently heard in Twilight . Looks like we have something in common.

She takes her Razr from her back pocket,and flips it open."Hello?.... Okay!.... I know Mark, I got stuck in traffic, I be there in a bit!" She slams her phone closed.

"God, he is such a jerk!" She yells.

"Who's he?"

"Nevermind, maybe I'll see you again. I gotta go, though." She waves goodbye to me, while waltzing out the door.

**So if you recall, in the episode of PotF: Ill Of The Future, you know who Oxcula is.....hint hint.**

**Reviews!!!**


	3. He's Gone

**When Your Knees Buckle**

Watching her desert my house again should've made me feel...what's the word?... abandoned, unloved, forsaken, rejected even. Not the way she did it, with such grace, and alluring sway. It was like watching a show, and definitely enjoying every minute of it, from behind that is. As you should know, the thoughts running through my mind about who that "jerk" was, and why the hell she'd be rushing away to meet him, were an overload to my minimal brain space. I tolerate it, only because the simple thought of this girl was enough for me to dismiss from mind every other detail. Even worse then her, possibly, being with another guy, I didn't get my answer. Now I may just have to be a stalker, journey to her job, and ask her out again. How demeaning would that be? We've only encountered, what, two or three times? What will she think of me, if I asked her out, again?.... What if she had no interest in me, from the very beginning?! What if- A voice? Interrupting my thought? But who?

She had yet to make it to the end of my driveway, before she turned around. Approaching me, oh so slowly, the same show but I could see every other article of her.

"I forgot." She mentions, "The answer is yes."

I knew it, I could feel it. The huge dorky grin on my face. I was abducted by it from the day I'd began puberty, or so I thought. This was one of those moments, where I got nervous, when my knees would buckle. It surely didn't help that she'd been grazing my shoulder while she said it. Assuring me that she hadn't forgotten.

"Pick me up at eight?"

"Uhm, yeah, yeah I definitely will." And again, she'd left my door step. A detail was missing though. I don't know her name, her address, her phone number, anything about her. Where was I to pick her up?

"Oh, Phil! My number is in you shirt pocket!" She yelled to me from he end of the way.

"How did you...?" I said to myself in a mumble. But there it was, I'd checked my pocket and there lied a scrap piece of paper which her digits.

I ascended back into my house, to see my little sister waiting for me.

"Okay Phil. Spill the beans. Where's mom?" She badgered me. "And I swear on all future necessities, if you say 'at the grocery store' I'll-

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you." I gestured for her to sit down next to me.

"What's going on, Phil?" She sounded almost sincere.

I had know idea, even remotely, how to explain this to her. My sister of sixteen years knew nothing of family, but 'mom & dad.' I was not yet sure of weather my mom was coming back or not. She'd seemed very crushed when I read the letter. She too had known no other father figure for us, besides Lloyd. I had to begin somewhere.

"Pim, ya' see, there comes a time in a mans life-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold the phone. When did this become, 'the talk'? You're trying to change the subject!"

"No, no Pim, see, the easiest way I can put this...."

"Spit it out!"

"Dad is having...." I struggle.

"What, what? He's having what?"

"Dad is having a mid-life crisis." There I said it. As firmly and believable as possible.

Too bad I didn't get off that easily.

"I saw her. The other day, I saw mom crying." Now every word of hers, came out with sincerity. She figured it out. "Is dad... Is he with another..."

I nodded. "But don't worry Pim, its nothing but a fling. He'll be back."

"No." She began to exit the room. "I don't want him back here."

"Pim, wait.... Mom, she'll come back eventually." She had only turned around for a quick second, before locking herself in her room.

I had to relieve the stress somehow, a nap I decide.

So there I am, peacefully lying on my bed, thinking about the first thing that came to my mind. Mom of course. After the long hard thought of mom being somewhere out there, I fell into a slumber. My dream was of cars. I was racing down a straight track, with only one competitor. He was about the same color as me, but with short buzz cut blond hair. I couldn't begin to say that he was better looking than me, though he was. But we were there racing for miles with no finish line, the track just kept going, on and on. Until seconds later it took a hard left turn, that fortunately I was prepared for, too bad I couldn't say the same for him. As soon as he crashed there was the finish line, and guess who was standing at the end. There to congratulate me was her. Quite an amazing congrats, I might add.

_'I love winners.' She says seductively._

_'Well, I love to win.' We both smile. 'Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't winners always get a prize?'_

_'Your right, they do.' She gestured me to "come here," I follow her._

_Moaning. Panting. Us? No._

Just me. This'll definitely be on heck of a date.

**Ehh. Not my best chapter, but I did in fact do it just today, took hours. REVIEWS are great. Just so ya' know, this chapter woudln't have happened if it wasn't for _CraftyNotepad, _Thanks for the reviews!!! I should start more chapters of other stories soon. I know it takes forever. I blame school!!**


	4. She's Gone

**Its been a while, right? Enjoy!**

I stagger out of bed in lolling confusion, and slip into my navy blue, terry-cloth bathrobe. What day is it? Sunday, I suppose, the Sabbath day. Though I most certainly will not be going to church today. As a matter of fact, I might be doing a little sinning this fine Sunday morning. I'll spend a good few hours sprucing up, and then gather a few bills to pay for a fairly expensive dinner at a fairly fancy restaurant. Because tonight be my wonderful first date with the lovely and fairest-of-them-all Queen Oxcula. Yes. She said 'yes'. No. I did not, however, ask her to marry me… yet. I vow that today be as fair a day as any in my literal future has ever been. I could use my Giggle and find out how tonight pans out, but I'd rather wallow in the exciting surprise. Predictions? She'll be in a sultry red gown , as I am sporting a fancy black tux, smelling of scrumptious pumpkin seed, (I just don't know what it is about the smell of pumpkin on a women that makes me fall in love) as she had while the first large pepperoni came in. We won't kiss. That is the most important detail of the night. Maybe an innocent one on her rosy right cheek, but definitely not on the lips. I want her to know that I'm a slow moving kind of guy. She should develop a feeling of trust around me and hopefully tell me her real name by nights end. So, we would enjoy the food, and just for the fun of it we'd mess with our waiter. 'I asked for plenty of grenadine in my drink. I can hardly taste it, sir. Would you be a lamb and fill'er up about half way and _then_ add the Sprite? I'll be sure to cut off of your tip if it isn't perfect.' With a devilish smile to top it off.

Of course, in all the excitement, I'm forgetting about the more important business that needs tending: Mom is still missing.

So after a long and healthy dose of imagination, I walk downstairs to find Pim playing with her, newly customized (red translucent covered), Wizrd.

"What are you doing up so early?" I ask, hoping for a civil answer.

"…Planning," she said, hesitantly.

"I'm not gonna ask." I stepped into the kitchen, preparing my stomach for a hefty omelet. I pulled six eggs from our larger-than-normal Plexi-Stretch Fridge 3000 (courtesy of 2121 Shoppers Catalog). "Want anything?" I asked Pim.

No answer. "I'm gonna hate myself for asking, but what kind of 'planning' are you doing anyway?"

"You really wanna know, brother?"

"No, but tell me anyway." I reached for the special no-stick frying pan under the counter.

"See Phil, there comes a time in a young girl's life when she realizes her father is a filthy, selfish, useless pig." She tapped a button on the Wizrd extra hard for emphasis. "I checked the Giggle about an hour ago, and it revealed to my innocent eyes that Dad marries that sorry excuse for a woman exactly a year from this day. So I figure he didn't tell this chick about having a family. With a little replication and new-aging, Little Red Riding Hood is gonna be detouring her way back to grandma's house, leaving Lloyd alone and unhappy."

"Tell me I have nothing to do with this…"

"Not yet. I have to execute this perfectly. I don't want the girl to go and kill herself, so I gotta make sure she isn't cushion soft in the head."

"How nice of you. And if she does happen to be sensitive…?" I greased the pan thoroughly to reassure the no-stick promises.

"Haven't thought about that yet. Any word on mom?" She asked, innocently.

I looked up from my third egg cracking and answer, "Nope. You didn't try to find out anything from the Giggle?"

"Actually that's the strange part. I tried the Giggle, nothing came up." She walked toward me in the kitchen.

"You don't think… Mom tried to anti-Giggle us, do you?" Pretty weird, right? The Giggle is (for future technology) a reasonably large contraption with which you can look up someone's future. However, there was also an anti-Giggle invented in 2114, making it possible to hide your future from everybody. Obviously this means mom doesn't want to be found.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an anti-anti-Giggle. Which would be stupid anyway. It's almost as stupid as making an anti-Giggle in the first place.

"I think I'm gonna go for a walk. Try and dig up some dirt, hopefully not literally…" Pim exited the room.

It's almost noon. My date in nearly eight hours, and a lot on my mind. I decide against going out of town to Bon-Ton for my favorite cologne. The nearest store is in Hamden, and I don't have the time. So I make a call.

"Hello, is this the… Worldwide Kiosk?" I read from an ad in an old 2121 newspaper. Or new, I'm not sure.

"Yes it is. How may I help you?" A woman, she sounded familiar.

"Um, yes, I need a pin-point location for the license plate 'DFFYFAM'."

"… That license plate no longer exists, sir. The RV was repossessed in 2011, due to lack of payments. It was also involved in an accident in 2009. Nature related," she answered.

"Oh, wow. Do you know who was driving it at the time of the accident?"

"…No sir. That isn't in our records. May I ask how you know about an RV from such a long time ago?"

"Umm, I have to go. Thanks for all your help." And I hung up the phone in utter dismay.

In the note dad said he went back to the future. But how can that be if our time machine is repossessed in two years? Did he lie? Did that, oddly familiar sounding, woman lie? I have no time to go and dig up info.

The phone rings.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Phil, it's me. I have some bad news." Oxcula! I can't believe she called me! But how did she get my number?

"Hey, what's going on? Tell me you're not cancelling."

"I'm not cancelling," she says, "But I can't go out to eat tonight. Can I come to your place, maybe?"

"Uh, sure, of course you can."

"Cool, alright, bye." She hung up. This will be the third time she's come to my house now. It's awesome, I know. On the other hand, I'm now even more nervous than I was in the beginning. More nervous than I was when I fell in front of her. My knees were trembling, just at the thought of her sitting on my couch. I would smell the sweet pumpkin on her person, and she would compliment me on my outstanding cooking abilities. No waiter to harass. No sultry red gown. No sexy tux. And definitely no kiss on the cheek. That would be much too awkward to do when I know she's only leaving my house. She made me worry. She sounded urgent, in a hurry. Like maybe she was in the middle of a delivery.

A knock at the door.

"Just a minute!" I yell.

I amble toward the door, and quickly open it. "Hey!"

**I looked over some of my reviews and was so inspired, I thought I'd start writing again. It's probably not the best chapter, but there WILL be more to come, and soon! I will also HOPEFULLY be updated Turbulence as well. What did you think?**


	5. New Years Eve

I amble toward the door, and quickly open it. "Hey!"

Standing in the doorway is non other than my "best pal" Owen. I've known him since I first moved here in 2003, and trust me, you cannot let his handsome exterior fool you! He is without a doubt _the _biggest jerk you may ever meet in your lifetime. Believe me, I would know, because if I wanted to I could see anyone's future with a simple future contraption. And I laugh in your face! Ha ha! Because unlike my mother, you twenty-first century folk can't anti-Giggle me.

"Phil-Anderer! What's up, buddy?" In case you hadn't noticed, my previous "Hey!" was mumbled with heavy sarcasm.

"Owen, what are you doing...? _Here_?" He extended his fist toward me.

"Come on Diffy, you know the drill! Where do the puppy dogs go?"

I hesitated. Of all the stupid things Owen makes me do, this is numero uno. "… To the pound." I enlightened him.

He let out an obnoxiously excited manly squeal. "That's what I'm talkin' about Diffy! So anyway, where's your hot mom?"

"You haven't seen her around? Not at the grocery store? The park? Anywhere?" I request.

"Whoa, whoa! Dude, you act like I spy on her or something!"

"… You do!" I become frustrated at his lack of cooperation.

Just as I'm about to slam the door in his face, I see an older looking man stroll up behind him.

Evan, Owen's older brother. The one who flunked out of college before he even started. He had the greasiest dirty-blonde hair I'd ever seen, hanging down past his broad shoulders. He had half a goatee and some dark stubble on the sides. He sported a stained white muscle shirt with an old corduroy jacket cut off at the shoulders. He wore black and red basketball shorts with knee highs and a pair of grey Converse. Sound like something you would wear? Didn't think so… Unless you're into that, but the question is could you pull it off as well as he did?

"Why is Evan here? Why are you here?"

"Come on! It's New Years Eve and you're home alone! I thought you'd wanna party with us, so I invited some chicks over." He smiled widely. "They're gonna blow your mind, bro!"

I was already annoyed, a little worried, and kinda hungry (I didn't actually get a chance to eat my six egg omelet before the knock on the door), but now I was in a deep panic. I got a chance to see the type of 'chicks' Owen associates with. They don't go to school, they don't wear underwear half the time, and more revealingly, they don't have legal jobs. Due to a late wakeup it was nearly 12:30 now. It felt like the time was winding down a lot faster now. It felt like my date was so close I could smell the pumpkin (which was pleasant). And if I know anything about Owen it's that he begins drinking at noon and stops at noon. There was no humanly possible way I could make him leave my house now. I realize I'd screwed up when I told him my mom wasn't here. Now the house was his to with whatever he wanted. It was starting to look like this date had ended before it even began.

Without another word, Owen grabbed a cooler he'd hidden in a bush before he came to the door, and shuffled into my house, Evan following after him.

Before entering, Evan had laid a hand on my shoulder and said, "Look, Owen told me how you let him throw this party here. Pretty cool of you, but listen, I have this _extra_ special girl coming tonight." He winked at me. "So lemme' borrow your room for a couple of hours. Whadya say?"

I was a little disgusted at the thought of Evan penetrating some random girl in my bed, so I had to let him down easy. I laughed along with him and played along. "Nice! But I actually have someone _special _coming too. Sorry bro." He slapped me on the back on his way in.

"You're a dog Diffy!"

Actually, I was a doomed Diffy. Now, in order to maintain some sort of date with Oxcula, I had to lure her into my bedroom. That won't be hard at all.

"Look, you guys can set up but just stay out of the garage, okay?" That was where we stored all of our future gadgets. Not that they could pierce the quadruple locks anyway.

Now I decided I'd call Oxcula and let her know the change of plans. Better she not be as surprised as I was. I dialed the number and waited four rings. No answer. I certainly didn't wanna seem like an overprotective boyfriend before the first date, so I waited another hour before I called back, all the while helping Owen and Evan set up. Still no answer. I checked the clock for the hundredth time that day; it was now 5:37. The house was already packed with a mixture of Evan's college buddies and Owen's hoodlum high school recruits. The fear of a visit from the police was crawling up my legs. My knees became weak at the thought of being busted for allowing these kids to drink. It would be all on me, of course. Know why? Because I'm the good guy that always does the right thing. Owen and Evan and all the rest of them would dart out the back door while I stayed to take responsibility, as always.

In all the commotion, I hadn't even heard my cell ringing. Before too long, a drunken high school girl scooped it off the kitchen counter. "HELLO?"

A single tear rolled down my cheek. Who could that be?

"WHERE IS PILL? IS PILL HERE?" The girl shouted. I quickly maneuvered through the crowd to the kitchen where I snatched the phone from the girl.

"Hello?"

"Phil, its Oxcula. What is going on there?" She asked nervously.

"Oh my God, I've been trying to call you! I wanted you to know there's been a change of plans! I was am—" I yelled over the uproar.

"Are you cancelling, Phil?"

"No, no! I was saying I was ambushed with a party this afternoon! My house is packed and I can't get rid of them!"

"Do you wanna re-schedule, or something? Cuz' if you don't want me to come just say so."

"No, no! Please come by! I'll work things out, okay? Eight o' clock?"

"Okay, I'll be there." She sounded nervous as she had the whole conversation. I didn't know what to expect when she got here. I only knew that this night was just beginning.

Without warning, the front door opened. See, everyone else had come through the back. It wasn't until about two in the afternoon that I noticed a sign out on the fence urging party-gowers to 'enter from behind.'

It was Pim, covered in dirt. She did say she was going to go dig, metaphorically, but as expected she ended up doing the real deal. I had a strange feeling she wasn't looking especially #!*% because of the stains on her clothes. Pim hated parties. She hated people, to say the least, and this was like a prison to her (sure, an easily escapable one). She was surrounded by gyrating drunk teens, most of whom she goes to school with.

"What in God's name is going on here, Phil?"

"Pim! Thank goodness, a normal person!" She gave me an uncertain look. Even I was surprised. "What did you find?"

She gestured upstairs. "Maybe we should…"

I followed her lead. "Okay first of all…" She pushed me against a door with vigor, once we reached the top of the stairs.

"Oww! There's a knob there!"

"Why is my entire school here?" She asked angrily.

"Don't forget about the Pickford Community College students…" She shot me an evil eye. "Surprise attack from Owen."

She roughly massaged her temples. "Whatever. That's not important. Look what I found in the park." She pulled a dirty diamond ring from her back pocket. "It's mom's ring."

"How can you tell?" She pointed to an engraving that read 'Barb and Lloyd forever.'

A deeper fear set in as I thought of a story I'd read in the Pickford Penny Saver about a women who drowned herself after her husband of nineteen years left her. She, too, buried her wedding ring.

"Oh no…"

"You know I'm not one to ask for help, but what are we gonna do?" She asked unknowingly.

I really didn't know what to do. I was aware that my date would be arriving in nearly two hours, but it was time to take priority. I had to bail and try to find out everything I could about mom.

"Let's go." Pim and I departed to the garage.

"Hey Phil, I saw some cops snooping around when I was out there. I found out that someone filed a missing person report on mom."

This was peculiar. Mom never had many friends. Lloyd convinced her that too many friends would compromise our secret. So who else would have filed that report?

"They say who?" I questioned.

"Nope. Said it would go against their confidentiality policy. Anyway, who cares who did it, we need to get a move on. Those idiot cops weren't doing much of anything helpful. Let's fix it ourselves." She nudged me along. "So what kind of car we taking? How bout a Jag?"

"Are you kidding? How much more obvious could we be? We're taking my Camero." She huffed. Pim always did like the more new and exciting cars, said they captured her demanding personality.

So we hopped in the car and drove off to the park where Pim found the ring. There was a strangely ominous look to the roads at this time of day. They seemed smoky and abandoned, and there wasn't a car in sight for blocks, but I didn't think much of it. We arrived at the park at 6:48. It was already dark considering the season, and the park had a cemetery-like quality to it. Even that ridiculous statue was scaring me.

I glanced over at Pim. "Ready?" But she was already out of car and checking out a tree. "Pim!" I whispered loudly.

She was using her Wizrd as a heat vision flashlight; one of the cooler qualities of a Wizrd. It could track a body for two miles in any direction, just listen for the beep. I assume she fumbled with the settings, making it so that only women would be picked up. Yes, that's about as dense as settings get. Men or women. Sadly, as goes for any other kind of use with a Wizrd, we still can't get a signal past pudding.

I used my Wizrd as a night vision flashlight, and Pim and I walked side by side around the park for over an hour, and every few minutes we'd ask each other, "See anything?" and each time the answer was "no."

I stopped to check my watch; it was 7:59. I imagine Oxcula was just arriving at my house by this time and it made me wince.

"Phil! I'm getting someone down by the pond!" So we paced our way down to the pond, and a figure in dark clothing was running its fingers in the water. We both ducked behind a shrub and spied on the figure. "Come on! Let's go bust em'!"

"No! Wait!" The figure stood up. It was a girl, definitely not mom, but someone.

The figure quickly noticed us and seemingly looked me dead in the eyes. My heart dropped. I hadn't ever been more scared in my life.

"Who's there?" She requested.

"What should we do? Should we-"

"Wait, maybe this chick didn't really see us." Pim suggested.

"I can see you." She said calmly. "Come out."

She did not skip, she did not walk, she did not run, but she sprinted toward us with raging frustration.

"Go!" I yelled to Pim, and we ran to the car with fear in our eyes.

"Stop! Stop running!" The girl yelled after us. She seemed to be getting closer, but I couldn't look back.

"Whatever you do, don't stop, Pim! Go! Go!"

Pim was ahead of me, already sitting in the car, keys in ignition and all, but I was still further away and didn't seem to be making any progress.

In a moments notice I decided against my conscious decision and looked back.

Why is everything so blurry? Where am I? What time is it? Where's Pim?

"Hello? Is anybody in there?" A voice asked me.

"… H-Huh?"

"Phil, are you okay?"

As out of it as I felt, I couldn't help grinning when I realized who the voice was. "Ox-"

"Shh, never mind. Go back to sleep."

I feel like a bear. Hibernating during winter. My eyelids were too heavy to keep open, and so I fell into another deep sleep. The dream I had was unlike any other I'd ever had. I was buried alive. Beating at a pitch black coffin, only I wasn't buried in dirt, exactly. I was in quick sand and the more I beat the faster I sank. It was horrifying. When I decided to calm down I took a moment to witness my surroundings. Wood, wood, and more wood. I scrambled around on my back for several minutes afterward, and detected a glass plate beneath my back. I took hold of it and brought it near my face. I couldn't make out the reflection at all, but it kissed me, and moments later a blinding flash of light ensued and subsided after an instant, and suddenly the entire coffin was lit, and I was appalled at my reflection. It wasn't me, it was my dad. The coffin abruptly began to sink faster and faster until it hit a startling end and opened itself. Lloyd sat up and allowed his eyes reveal his destiny. He was in a jail cell with no bed or toilet or even a barred window. The strangest part of this cell was the fact that it was a twenty first century cell, minus the few luxuries. Once he stepped out of the coffin he heard the footsteps of a woman in heels. She approached him slowly and he let his eyes travel from top to bottom. She was familiar, gorgeous. She was… Phil.

Wait a minute.

"Phil, Phil. Are you dead?" I shot awake in unreserved confusion, and quite of bit of a headache.

"Oxcula… Where am I?" I ask.

"Calm down, we're in my apartment… Geez, I thought you were dead! You know you were sleeping for_ twelve_ hours?"

I rested my hands on my head, trying to ease away the headache. "What happened? Where's my sister?"

"Oh, Pim? Yeah, she came by my job looking for you. I found you passed out in the park, so I brought you back to my place. Its okay, she knows you're here. You actually just missed her. She came by a few minutes ago to check on you."

"Man, I don't even know what happened. I remember running… From some… Girl. Then I was like… Gone." I rubbed my head, once again.

"Weird. You know I came by your house, and some Owen guy told me you left. So I walked home and saw a _body_ just lying there in the park." She paused to look at me. "Phil… Were you drinking?"

"I… I don't think so."

"Hmm. Well it's only 8:30; you wanna maybe get some breakfast with me? Ya' know, since we never really got to have our date."

I was beaming. "Yeah… Yeah, absolutely."

I wasn't the only one. "Cool. I'm thinkin' IHop."

"Sounds good." I followed her out the door. "Hey, does this mean you're gonna tell me your real name?"

"I could tell you now. Besides, I think I've suffered enough." I gave her a questionable look. "I hate hearing that name."

We entered her silver Prius and hit the road. "So…"

"Keely… Keely Teslow." I presented her a satisfied smile.

"Keely."

I was very prepared for this date. So happy I could barely contain my joy. There was just one thing I was wondering. Why did she walk to and from my house if she had this car?

**What did you think? Any predictions? I wanted to write a longer chapter this time, thought it might make up for the lame short chapters you all had to deal with. Anyway, the chapters from now on will be better, juicier, scandalous, and very surprising... Hopefully. =] Reviews!**


	6. Day 1

**I've been gone so long that I had to re-read this story just put myself back in the loop! And after a year, I've come up with some new twists and turns for WYKB... Be prepared. Be very prepared. And don't forget to review.**

When You Knees Buckle

_Chapter 6: Day 1_

A satisfied spirit has presented itself inside of me. It's New Year's Day and I'm sitting in a polished red-seated booth with Oxc- I mean, Keely Teslow. Swoon. The pancakes have not yet arrived, but I'm killing my hunger by itself with the scent of Keely's pumpkin perfume. Oh, how I adore it. She's currently twiddling her thumbs, waiting for me to speak, I suppose. But I like the awkward silence. I consider bringing about some meaningless chatter, but she beats me to it with a rather serious topic.

"So... About last night. Do you remember anything?" She asks.

I exhale loudly and stare out the window, searching for answers in the air. "I have no memory of what happened, besides what I've already told you. I was being chased, I looked back and that was it."

"Whoever it was must have hit you pretty hard," she says, studying my head. I wasn't even aware that I'd been hit. Not until I mapped my head for an aching spot and stopped in the back, just behind my left ear. It felt swollen and dry, like it had been bleeding.

"Yeah, I guess so."

A pensive smile ensued on Keely's face, prompting me to smile along with her. I then questioned her smile with a giggly "What?"

She wasn't at all hesitant. Her eyes met mine as she reached in her purse. "You've got some explaining to do, Phil."

My face immediately turned red. No! Please tell me she didn't go through my pockets and find that condom! Oh, Keely, it wasn't meant for you, I promise! I was beginning to sweat as she waited for me to guess. I shrugged and felt my shoulders tighten.

Not a second later, she pulled out my Wizrd. Though the embarrassment had slid off my face along with the sweat, a new feeling had set in. My good friend Worry. We'd been pals now for a few days. No, a few years. Ever since I moved to this stupid century a few years ago.

She studied the Wizrd carefully, as so not to break anything or push the wrong button. "This was lying next to you... I thought 'Maybe it's some kind of... I don't know what.'"

Her fingers gently caressed the three horizontal buttons near the bottom of it, lightly and curiously. I wanted to anxiously to grab for it before she accidentally turned me into a hog or something, but I was finding too much enjoyment in watching her touch it.

"So what is it, Phil? No, nevermind don't tell me. I'll just turn it on and find out myself."

Then, reluctantly, I snatched the Wizrd from her and she laughed at me. "That's okay," she says. "If you don't want to explain that... thingy to me, then you can explain this."

Then her fingers were calmly sliding a little black square wrapper towards me, the word Trojan was the only to be seen.

Busted.

"Okay, I know it looks bad," I begin.

"It does look bad." She slides it the rest of the way across the table, allowing it to hit my fingers clasped around the Wizrd.

"I know, but it wasn't for you. It isn't for you."

She's still smiling, soaking up this great opportunity to make me squirm. "If it isn't for me, then who? Were you planning on seeing someone else last night?"

"No! No, of course not! I-I just thought- maybe at some point-way, _way_ in the future that we-"

"We have a future?" She questions.

"I don't- I just thought if-"

"Here are your pancakes, guys. Enjoy," our server says with a quick smile.

We thank her and I immediately stuff my face, attempting to put behind me the mortifying ordeal I'd just been put through. But she gives me a look: _'Don't think I forgot just because your eating like a pig.'_

I'm having mixed feelings about this new year. The plus side consists of one thing: Keely. But the cons strongly overpower her. My mom is still missing, my dad has supposedly fled the century, and my house is probably looking like a frat party gone horribly right. I weigh the two sides during our drive home and just before I think this year can't get any odder, we arrive at my house.

None other than Lloyd Diffy, standing baffled at our front door. But not as baffled as I am. What could be worse than my cheating father returning from who knows where? Oh yeah, he's outside my front door with another woman.

I step out of the car, telling Keely goodbye and walking to my front yard. She urges me to wait so I duck my head back in through her window.

"Phil!" I know she was going to kiss me. I know it. And I was going to let it happen. And it _would have _happened if my dad hadn't just called my name. Bad as it may sound, if he had continued his unfaithful path and not come home, I would have been able to enjoy a single happy moment in the midst if my life.

As I turn around, a cold winter wind presents itself, welcoming a family of goosebumps to form on my arms and neck.

"Phil, what on earth happened to our house?" The better question would be, _"Where have you been?" _or _"Who is this?"_

I forgot to consider how I'd react in case this event occurred. I forgot to care.

All of the sudden my hand ached, my dad was stumbling to the floor trying to cup his nose, and mystery woman was gasping in shock. Never thought I'd react so violently. Usually that's Pim's department.

"What in Ricky Singh's name has gotten into you?" I could see the blood flowing like a creek through the spaces between each of his fingers. It looked thick and was turning into more of a river by the minute.

Dad and mystery woman carefully maneuvered through the post-party clutter and sat on the couch. I was all too suspicious of her until dad mentioned mom. She gave the most sincere and sympathetic look when I mentioned she was missing. I warmed up to her even more once I found out she wasn't the other woman.

But there was another woman.

"... I was at the Hardware Fair all week, right? I met the man who invented the crescent wrench and I told him I was mechanic. He looked me up and down and called me an amateur! And I said 'Look pal, I'm no amateur.' So he shoved me and I fell onto a display of electronic hammers. Then the hosts told me I wasn't allowed to come back until I paid for the damages. Do you know how much fifty electronic hammers cost? A lot! Any who, I went back to my hotel and caught the so-called 'housekeeping' staring at me. I ran inside and realized I forgot my tool belt at the fair."

I couldn't call my dad a liar. This scenario seemed too familiar and suiting to him. So I asked what he did next.

"I wanted to pay for the hammers, I really did! But I couldn't afford 'em. So I sneaked back into the fair and replicated one that wasn't broken."

I cut in while I could. "Dad, I thought you had, like two-thousand dollars on you when you left from the cork contest."

"I did," he replies. "But I spent that on a new fancy suit to wear the the Hardware Fair. Anyway, when the hosts thought I brought all new electric hammers they were so happy. They let me present the Golden Allen Wrench to the mechanic of the year. After day one was over the guys from the fair still wanted to hang out with me. I even went into what they call in this century a 'bar.' It was horrible. All their soda tasted funny and made me feel weird. Me and the boys walked home that night and kept bumping into each other. I thought it was the bad soda but they said they didn't know what I was talking about. Well, when I got home I changed into my PJs and fell asleep, I think. When I woke up there was this lady laying next to me. And that's all I remember."

It had only just occurred to me that dad had been mentioning future gadgets while he told his story. I wondered why mystery woman hadn't asked any questions.

"So you called mom and told her about that lady?" I ask and he nods. "So what happened next?"

"Well, I was really confused and your mother told me, in her own words, that I should stay at the fair. So I did. I stayed a few extra days and hung out with the guys. It wasn't until yesterday that I got a call from Yurna," he says pointing to the mystery woman.

I shake hands with her and she tells me who she is. "I'm Yurna Oglesbee from Worldwide Kiosk. I spoke to you a couple of days ago." Now I knew why her voice was so familiar. Not only did she work at Worldwide Kiosk in 2121, but she ran her own law firm. "When you called me, I thought it quite peculiar you'd be asking about an RV from over a hundred years ago. So I contacted the owner of the RV, your dad, and told him you called."

And that's why dad came home. "But you said the RV was in an accident..."

My dad and Yurna looked at each other and something clicked in my head. My mom said that Lloyd went back to the future with this "other woman." But if doesn't have the time machine...


	7. New Leads

When Your Knees Buckle

Chapter 7: New Leads

"Was mom really upset when you told her about that lady?" I question.

"No, it was an honest mistake. She wasn't mad at all. In fact, she said she loved me and wished me a safe trip home."

Then what would have set her off? Why would she forge a note from dad and run off with the time machine?

"So, where is your mother?" Dad asks.

By this point, I'm too preoccupied putting things together to hear dad. "Yurna, can you tell me the exact date the RV was involved in the accident?"

"Sure," she says, taking out a future gadget I'm not familiar with. She obviously sees the puzzled look on my face as she starts to explain what it is. "You all have been in the past too long. This is the Alpha Wizrd. It hit the markets in 2123."

The Alpha Wizrd was sleek and refined. It was much thinner than my model and I could tell it had at least twenty new features. It took her voice commands and had an interface compatible with the slide of a finger.

"The accident occurred exactly three days ago." Before I could ask another question she was spouting out more facts. Facts that I didn't know a Wizrd could tell. "Umm, there was tornado in Handsome Town. An RV was found about thirty miles outside with exhaust residue everywhere."

"But any twenty-first century dweller would think those were diamonds," I remember.

"Exactly. We've got to track that RV down."

Hours had passed and Pim still hadn't shown up. Several calls were made and we were all getting anxious awaiting a response. Dad was most worried of all of us, but I convinced him that Pim was probably just doing more digging. He stood, hunched over, peeking out the window until my phone finally sounded. A text from Pim.

_Phil, I found out some stuff about mom and dad. I'm following a lead right now so I won't be home for a while. Meet me at the Handsome Town airport tomorrow morning. 9AM_

Obviously Pim knows everything already, but I'm curious to know how she found out. I begin texting back to ask where she is now, but I get another incoming from her.

_And Phil, if you happen to see dad roaming around the twenty-first century again... do not believe a word he says._

"What does it say?" Dad asks...

I tell him nothing to avoid conflict. As always, the situation has managed to get more complicating. Now, Pim knows something that I don't and it makes me question whether or not dad was actually at the Hardware Fair and not off canoodling with some twenty-first century girl in the future.

After a long moment of silence, I pipe up. "I think I should go alone... I mean, if mom has some kind of motive for leaving, it has to involve you in some way. I just think she'd feel more comfortable if only I came..."

They both looked puzzled, as if I were betraying them. I tried to look reassuring, telling them I'd be okay on my own and that it's better this way. By ten that night, Yurna and dad were fast asleep. I fortuitously stumbled upon Yurna's Alpha Wizrd and played with it a little. What do ya' know? An ace signal past a whole container of pudding. After my little convergence with the Alpha, I snuck out for some air. Sitting on the porch of my front yard, I could see the cold wind swimming through the air. It made every part of me feel soft and impenetrable. I liked that feeling. In the next yard over, I could see my former principal sharing that night's dinner with his chihuahua, Roswald. He would probably wash finish minutes later, wash the dirty dishes, and simply retire to bed.

I, however, am living even further on the edge than I was when my family and I first moved here.

The cold air is still friendly. With my eyes closed it's easier to accept this weather for what it is. I don't have to see the raindrops to know they're there and I don't have to study the goosebumps on my arms to realize I'm freezing.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Keely's distant voice inquires. She stands with the majority of her weight on her right leg, under an umbrella blanketed with polka dots.

"Talk about what?" I stand and join her on the wet pavement, ducking under the umbrella.

"Whatever's bothering you," she claims.

So we walk through Pickford and I spill my guts. Once I reach the part about our new lead, we sit at a vacant bench in the park.

"Hey, Phil. Do you ever wonder if maybe your mom doesn't wanna be found? Ya' know, maybe she's not in any danger." I look to her critically as she watches the rain fall.

"I don't know... I think if she weren't in any danger then she'd at least call... I just can't stand being around my dad now, knowing he might have something to do with all this. I mean, they've never lied to me."

"Or maybe they always have but you just didn't know it." She made a good point, like the thinker she was. Once the rain stopped at a quarter to eleven, I stood up, ready to walk home and face an anxious night of sleep. She stood with me and closed her umbrella. "Ya' know, if you don't wanna go home right now, you don't have to."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

She begins to walk away from me but looks back with a mischievous smile. I follow her.


	8. The Bad Part Of Handsome Town

**There's a lot to be said about the influence of music in this chapter. One song in particular really helped me set the mood for it, so if you get a chance before you commence your reading, check out a song called _Psychic Cat _by Kelli Ali.**

When Your Knees Buckle

Chapter 8: The Bad Part Of Handsome Town

The walk to Keely's house took only a few minutes and she had her fingers wrapped in mine the whole way there. Only then did I begin to think 'this night isn't so bad.' Not when you take into account the cool fresh air, the lingering pumpkin scent, and - oh yeah - the fact that I was about to stay the night with her. Put it all together and you get pretty amiable night.

Believe me, it got better when we finally approached her doorstep.

"So, I have a few ground rules, Phil." She slips her hands into the pockets of her hoodie before continuing. "First, you're a guest, so you sleep on the bed."

Damn. For a second there, I thought I was might actually get to sleep with her. Actually _sleep _with her.

She continued. "Second, you don't hog the covers and third..." A guilty smile fashioned across my face as I waited in anticipation. "No biting."

The hours leading up to dawn were a magnificent blur of ecstasy. That is not to say that anything ungodly happened, however that is also not to say otherwise. I will say that a finally got to kiss her. I kissed her until she moaned and we continued sharing kisses for what seemed like hours and I didn't break any rules that should have otherwise stayed unbroken.

But I got my nights worth. I wanted to know every part of her and I started from the top. A ran my fingers through her hair which was perfectly greasy from the days events, but I didn't tell her that. I didn't talk at all. I only continued my exploration, next becoming familiar with her lips. I ran my thumb over them and noticed her mole for the first time. _Really _noticed it. And I loved it even more so than I loved her choice of perfume. And I kept going down to her jawline and chin, to her neck and shoulders and then I stopped. I let my hands go around to her back. I sat on my knees while leaned against me and I massaged her back until she fell asleep.

The night then became rather clichéd**. **I didn't actually sleep at all, but I watched her. Just after seven, I finally got up and had a look around. I was planning on making her breakfast, but oddly enough, there was no food. No plates. No silverware... Okay, no breakfast. Maybe she just hasn't gotten fully moved in yet. So I walk down the bare hallway and notice only one desolately haunting closet door. I disdain from opening it, though it looks strangely appealing. I guess I'll take a shower. I detour into the bathroom. Funny story... the water doesn't work. Not even a disgusting green sludge to come out of these dry pipes. And just when I think her apartment couldn't get any weirder... It does. Last night we slept on a pullout couch, not a bed, really. So I decide I'll see what her actual room looks like. I open the door and it's empty. No bed, no dresser, not even a single box around this place that might hint some unpacking needs to be done.

"What are you doing?" Says an irritated Keely from behind me.

"Uhm, I was just looking for the bathroom... Where is all your stuff?"

"What, did you come here to snoop around?" She questions with her arms crossed. "I can't afford all that stuff like you and your family can. So lay off."

"Keely, I wasn't calling you poor. I just - "

"Never mind. You should probably be leaving now if you wanna make it to Handsome Town by nine."

She's right, but I don't want to leave her like this. "Come with me?"

Eight-fifty one and I'm at the Handsome Town Regional Airport. Alone. Evidently, I really hurt Keely's feelings earlier and she, as sweetly as possible, kicked me out of her apartment and declined my offer to travel to Handsome Town with me. On the way out, I couldn't help but notice that her Prius wasn't in it's parking space. Hence the reason she walked by my house last night... But where does it keep going? If she's not driving it, then who is?

No use in thinking of such things, because it is none of my business. Here I am, eight-fifty nine, and Pim is nowhere to be found. I text her for information.

_Pim, I'm at the airport. where are you?_

Minutes later I get a response. _phil, forget the airport. i found the time machine 40 miles N sunset highway Meet me there__  
_

There is definitely something fishy going on but I follow the instruction anyway. I'm hesitant about going any further into Handsome Town after finding my car in the condition it was left. That night at the park, when I was knocked unconscious, Pim had to make a getaway somehow. I don't know where she drove my Camero but when I got in it this morning there was a quarter tank left along with that wonderful 'check engine' light.

Sure enough, only thirty-two miles north of Sunset Highway, my car breaks down.

"Shit," I mumble. Usually, in the twenty-second century, my first instinct in a situation such as this would be to grab my Wizrd and sprout myself a car from thin air. In 2009, though, I grab for my phone. And what do you know? No service in the middle of Handsome Town-friggin'-nowhere. And the plot thickens when I realize I've left my Wizrd in the hands of Keely Teslow once again. In the left pocket of my jacket lying on Keely's living room floor.

Hours have gone by and only three cars have passed. I was beginning to realize how isolation could make a person crazy. I've been walking for six miles and getting incredibly bored. I start singing the jingle I made up about a mile ago. It's actually quite catchy.

"Meet a boy named Phil and his family on vacation from the twenty- second century. Got a rented time machine that I'm on my way to try and find and save myself from breaking mentally... Phil, Phil of the future. Never knew in history his mom would be gone. Phil, Phil of the future keeping it together just as best as he can. Phil, Phil of the future he's very very unlucky man."

Just as I was finishing, another car drives by me. But unlike the other three, this one stops. As much as I do want to get in his car, I stay back and eye him wearily until he steps out of his car.

He raises his arms. "Are you coming?" This guy something else. He was groomed like a business man but dressed like a farmer. Ruggedly handsome, too. He had a five hundred dollar watch on yet he was driving this monstrosity of a car.

The interior of his car is almost as torn and tattered as the outside. It surprises me that this piece of shit Geo Metro even made it out here. I buckle my seat belt and wait for him to do the same.

"Where you headed, kid?" He asks me casually with his eyes glued to the road.

"Pickford," I answer.

"Whoa! That's quite a ways away. I'm guessin' that was your Camero I passed back yonder." I nod in agreement. "So what do they call ya' back in Pickford?"

"Phil," I say, looking nervously in the rearview mirror.

"Phil Phil Phil," he mocks. "I got a boy named Phil. I named 'im after my grand dad. He's a real son of a bitch, if you know what I mean. Always gettin' into trouble, tryna avoid me when I talk to 'im..."

I let an awkward silence set in as I waited for him to tell me his name. He didn't say another word for a mile.

"... So, what's your name?"

"Oh, right!" He stuck a free hand out to me and said, "... I'm Willy Ray. Nice to meet ya'." We shook hands and drove back to Pickford.

Another mile out we saw a guard rail that had been driven through and there it was. The time machine.

"Holy shit! Someone musta had a tad too much moonshine. Think we should pull over and see if any dead bodies is left?"

"No!... No, we should keep going," I say with a flustered expression. If we stopped to take a look, he'd see the inside of the time machine report it for sure. Just like all the other paranoid country folk.

"All right, all right. You wanna get on home, I get it."

When we finally entered civilization again, I checked my phone. There was a missing call and a voicemail from an unknown number.

_"Phil," _the voice whispered._ "please help me, Phil. I'm trapped," _she said between sobs just before another voice came in. _"You little bitch! Gimme that! NO! NO! PLEASE!... Fucking whore."_

After the last 'please' there was a bang, as if someone had been hit. I instantly became uneasy. I could make out only one of the voices. Keely Teslow's.

**How about that? So the question awaiting an answer is "Which of the voices on the voicemail was Keely's?"... Could it be the damsel in distress or the villain? Either way, it makes for a good ending line, I think.**

**Remember, reviews are still appreciated. )**


	9. Our Situation

When Your Knees Buckle

Chapter 9: Our Situation

"Don't worry about thankin' me for the ride or nothin'. It was my pleasure, _Phil_." His tone made me uneasy. I could feel him creep behind me as I listened to the message again.

"Thanks, Willy Ray... Listen, would you mind driving me a little further?" We had just entered Pickford and were still a few miles away from my destination. "I'll pay."

He shoots me his signature grin and pats me on the back. "No charge, buddy! Where to?"

Willy and I shared another awkward ride together and he was beginning to act more and more sketchy by the minute. He checked his rear view suspiciously at stop lights, though traffic in Pickford was surprisingly minimal, he looked at his watch more than twenty times within our two-mile drive, and I could see him eyeing me every once in a while when he'd make right turns.

We were at Keely's apartment within fifteen minutes and I quickly rushed out of the car, leaning in towards the window before I went. "Thanks again for the ride, Willy Ray."

He gave me a 'no problem' nod and I made my way up the stairs, knocking anxiously at the door. Not a minute later, Keely was answering the door, still in the bathrobe she was wearing this morning.

"You two come back to apologize?" 'You _two_'? What is she talking-

Almost exactly like the night at the park, I'd been knocked unconscious but this time awoke with even more of a thrashing headache than before. In a daze, I can still make out the conversation going on around me.

"You didn't have to hit him so hard," Keely says. "So, what does he know?"

"He knows nothing and we're gonna keep it that way until I see fit," says a man's voice, almost familiar. "And what exactly am I supposed to be apologizing for?"

"You left me in this shit hole all alone. I've been here for days without running water, Mike." She walks into the kitchen and grabs a small bottle to present to him. "I've been wearing this perfume the past week to make my presence bearable."

So, this the infamous Mike I heard Keely talking to the other day. He is still facing away from me, but I see him snatch the bottle and smell it. "Pumpkin? Who in their right mind would like this shit? And you chose this to steal?"

"It was the first thing I saw," she snaps. "And besides, he likes it. He told me last night while we were-"

"Shut up!" The man yells with a fist raised to her. She calmly backs away as he throws the perfume bottle at the wall. "What did I tell you about sleeping with him, huh? You're sick!"

"Calm down, Mike... I didn't sleep with him. He was a total gentleman, okay? We just kissed, that's all."

I see Mike begin to turn around and I close my eyes. His voice lowers to a whisper. "You know our situation, Keely... Don't be such a slut." He throws something light on the kitchen table.

Under her breath, she says, "Whatever. She's in the closet..." And the two of them walk down the hallway, out of my line of sight. I think if I'm quick, I could make a break for the door. But I don't risk it.

Several minutes later they come back into the living room. Keely sits on the couch nearest me and sighs loudly. "I can't keep her here forever. Not when I have to keep running to the store for water with the money that I don't have."

"What happened to the Prius I got you?" Mike asks.

"You mean the Prius you _stole _for me?" She remarks.

"It's not stealing, Keely. And it's not like you had a problem lifting that god-awful perfume, did you? Why can't you learn to appreciate the things I do for you?"

"Can you just take her, Mike? C'mon, I wanna go home."

He waits a second before he answers, pacing the room. "I'll get her tonight."

I keep my eyes shut but I can hear Mike heading towards the door. Keely stands and walks to him as it opens. "What do I say when he wakes up?"

"Slip him one and put him with her. I'll get him when I come back." And Mike leaves.

Keely sighs again and I hear her walk into the kitchen and then to me. I figure she's about to sedate to me with one of those special pills. What is going on? That night, at the park, was I really just _knocked _unconscious or was I put to sleep? Who sleeps for twelve hours on account of a blow to the head? It doesn't add up... But that much, I knew. I knew from the moment I heard that message that Keely has been lying to me. I could her on that voice mail, demanding the phone and seemingly beating the other person to silence. I don't even know this girl.

I feel her standing over me and wait for her to kneel down. As she does, I let my eyes shoot open, causing her to jump back in surprise. She joins me as I groggily stand to my feet and latch onto her arm.

"Show me what's in the closet," I demand.

"Phil, let go of me!" She pulls, but I pull harder, anxious to keep my balance. My head aches with every movement to the point where standing has become unbearable. I release her and watch as she falls to the ground.

I feel around the back of my head and come across blood in the same area as the last time. She sees my shock. "He hit you with his watch," she offers sympathetically. On the floor, she collect the pills she dropped and hands me one in the meantime. "It'll make your head hurt less."

I don't trust her, but I take the pill anyway in hopes it might relieve my pain. She sits next to me on the couch and dabs at my wound with a spare towel. I try to lean away but it hurts too bad.

"Stop moving," she tells me.

"What's in the closet, Keely?" I ask, still reeling.

She rolls her eyes and continues to wipe the blood from my head. "Just drop it, okay? I can't tell you that."

I'm about to ask her why when the doors flies open. It's Willy Ray, twirling a set of keys around his finger. Keely stands abruptly. "Mike, I was just..."

As I had already taken the pill, I gradually became more tired and weak. Keely called Willy Ray Mike... He looked at me as I let my head fall back onto the couch. He pushed Keely into a wall and that was the last I saw before my deep sleep.


	10. The Truth Won't Set You Free

**When Your Knees Buckle**

Chapter 10: The Truth Won't Set You Free

"_Phil, Phil, Phil... _You really screwed up this time. Open your eyes..." I obey and let them dance open. My surroundings are strangely familiar but still so foreign. Mike kneels in front of me and showcases a glass of water in my face. I look around hazily at the vicinity. I'm in someone's bedroom on a twin bed, handcuffed to the frame. He moves the water closer to me and tells me to open my mouth. I do. The cold water stings going down, as it is so brisk and satisfying. "Sleep good?" He asks, laughing. I can tell he doesn't expect and answer while he tapes my mouth shut.

"You know, I met Lloyd tonight. He's a real character. He didn't recognize me at first... But I reminded him." I looked at him bewilderingly. "I'm guessing you don't remember me, Phil. That's only fair, seeing how you were pretty young the last time I saw you... Well, Lloyd and I used to work together at WizrdTech, long before you were born. And he used to-"

The door on the far wall opened, arresting his speech. It was Keely, beaten and battered. "... Sorry, but he's about to wake up."

Mike looks at me and smiles. "Rain check on the story?"

They both leave the room and I take the alone time to gather my surroundings. From my point of view, there's a door leading into a hallway on the opposite wall, maybe a closet door to my right, and a large bay window behind me. There was a dresser against the wall to my left and a black lamp standing beside it. From what I could tell, the room was well decorated. The only thing out of the ordinary was the bed, small and battered, with no sheets, blankets, or pillows. The window treatments were different shades of red and the carpet was a simple beige, but so clean that it was as if no one had walked on it. The wallpaper was pearl-colored with picture-less frames scattered on each wall. From my position, I could only see the unclouded sky and a dying willow tree out the window. It's all so horrifying because it's not mine. It's not my life or my house or my bed.

I attempt to pull my hands through the cuffs, but they're too big and the failed attempt leaves my with a couple of scratches. At least knowing that my feet and legs are free gives me comfort. I sit up up on the bed and try to get a better look out the window. I discover that I'm on the first floor of this house and there is a long winding path leading to a road. No cars pass by as I continue to observe.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Mike reenters the room, but with company this time. Yurna Oglesbee in the flesh, standing arm and arm with Mike. "Yeah, I inherited it when my grandfather died. That was when I was just nineteen. I've had it ever since. You know, I'm surprised you don't remember it. You'd come here all the time with Lloyd and your mother when you were a baby. It was like a second home to you."

He nudges Yurna and she approaches me, ripping the tape from my mouth. "Where's my dad?" I ask after the painful sensation leaves my lips.

"He's here," Mike answers with another spiteful laugh. "You know who else is here with us? Well, upstairs, there's your mother and Pim. They've been really anxious lately. Especially, Pim. I'm guessing she doesn't take too kindly to cramped spaces... Does she?"

"_She _was in the closet?" I ask myself aloud. He claps for me, like I've finally figured it out. "I wanna see my family!"

"Keep it down," he hushes me. "And it's not like they want to see you anyway... Barb left you, Lloyd was too busy deceiving all of you to come home, and Pim... She doesn't even like you. So what makes you think any of them care about you now?"

"They're my family!" I hiss.

He scoffs and turns toward the door. "That's hardly a family, if you ask me." With his hand gripping the knob, he turns for a last remark. "I'm going to run some errands, Phil. Try not to yell." And he and Yurna leave.

Within minutes, I see a car driving down the winding path and onto the road. I hear footsteps in the hallway upon an entrance seconds later. Keely walks in consciously bearing another glass of water.

"How are you?" she asks.

I'm stunned that she even asks, seeing me this way. "I'm great. My head still aches and I'm cuffed to a bed, but I've never felt better."

She looks sad for a moment as she crosses her arms. "I'm sorry that you have to deal with this, Phil. I didn't know Mike would keep you and your family here."

"You wanna tell me what's going on, Keely?"

She walks over to me with the water in hand and assists me as I take a drink. The eye contact it killing me. Even though I know she is part of, or the whole reason I'm here, I don't feel any differently towards her than I did that night in her apartment.

"Phil, believe when I tell you, you don't want to know about our situation. It'll only make things worse," she reveals, sitting next to me on the bed.

"You don't think Mike is gonna tell me sooner or later?"

She looks out the window curiously before answering. "I know he will... But I don't want you to know."

**Not a very lengthy chapter, but I promise lucky eleven will be. I like to average a thousand words per chapter and I've succeeded... But look for a few hundred more in the next couple chapters. Don't forget to review.**


	11. Scars Remind Us

**When Your Knees Buckle**

Chapter 11: Scars Remind Us

"This is ridiculous..." I let my eyes fall shut for a moment of clarity. "Keely, the least you could for me is tell the truth. Am I being so completely unreasonable to ask for that?"

She scoots closer to me on the bed, soft tears beginning to douse her eyelashes as she blinks. She rests her hand on my knee and likely feels it tremble. I try desperately to make eye contact with her, but her gaze is fixed out the window. "You don't remember this house. You don't remember me or Mike... I guess that's fair," she says. After a long and irritated pause, she continues. "You know, my mother's dead, Phil." The tears now became visible, strolling down her face.

"I'm so sorry... Do you- I mean... What happened?" Keely's posture makes her look brave. Besides the tears, you could barely tell she was upset.

"Her doctor said it was a heart attack." Her tone revealed the doubt she felt towards that statement. "She didn't die from a heart attack, Phil."

"Why would you think that?"

The hesitation made me nervous and I began to question the relativity of this story.

"I don't _think _that," she waits. Her hand drifts from my knee cap to the mattress and she looks down, seemingly in shame. "Her and Mike had been fighting that night... They'd been fighting every night since Mike was fired. I was just a little girl and didn't know any better. He'd slap her around almost everyday and I pretended not to notice while she cried in the bathroom. I mean, it was like a routine for them."

"Did you tell on him? Teachers? Friends?"

"I was never around to see it... Until that night he hadn't laid a hand on her in front of me. But when he did, my mom was furious. She was gonna poison him, end it for us. But, I guess... I guess he found out. He switched their drinks while my mom went to the kitchen. She had no idea."

Within seconds she was hunched over, crying hysterically into her lap. My heart broke at that moment, realizing I couldn't sit up to be there for her. Keely was like the new kitten I'd gotten as a child. His name was Rudolph and I loved him unconditionally. Our life together was perfect, until he peed on the carpet. I watched my mother scold him and cried until it was over. The brand new stain in the carpet wouldn't go away, but I still loved Rudolph despite his error. I wanted to hold him and squeeze him until he cried out for freedom. I wanted Rudolph to realize that he didn't know any better, just as Keely didn't when she was young.

"Keely, your mother's death was _not _your fault," I explain.

She doesn't look at me, keeping her gaze on the floor. "... I watched him do it. He didn't see me, but I saw him, and I didn't say a word to my mom."

"Keely," I begin, but she cuts me off.

"Do you know how horrible my life became after that day?! For thirteen years, I sat in a corner covering my ears while Mike beat the shit out of my mom... And the one moment I could've taken advantage of, the moment that would have made all of my problems disappear... I did nothing and I've been paying for it ever since."

She stood up and rolled her long sleeves to her elbows. Among the plethora of bruises were a few very faint and almost unnoticeable scars along her forearms. She lightly ran her fingers over each of them, line by line.

"The next four of five years after that, Mike blamed me for her death. He said I should've stopped him. I should stop being so weak like my mother was. I should go live somewhere that I'm wanted... I couldn't take it. He asked me to look in the other bathroom for a razor, his had gone dull. I went downstairs and got it, tripped on the rug and cut myself. It hurt more than anything I'd ever felt, but the pain took my mind off of everything else that was going on, even for that short moment."

At first glance, Keely looks average. She looks like one of those girls you'd find working at a coffee shop. You walk pass that cafe every single day, or seldom. It didn't matter. And then one day, you'd be walking by and see her stumble and drop a tray full of coffee mugs. Now, other days, she seemed so pleasant and fun to be around. You notice her chatting up the customers, smiling brightly, but never did you enter that cafe until you noticed the flaw. Now there's coffee and glass everywhere, while a frantic Keely attempts to clean the mess she's made. You walk in and offer to help her, picking up pieces of glass and disposing of them in the dustpan she'd retrieved. And just as if it were a scene from a movie, you'd look up at her and notice all of the delicate details that you hadn't seen walking by. Like the nude colored eye shadow she had on, or the choice of chapstick instead of lip gloss. Her undecipherable eye color in the changing light, the engraved silver bracelet she had on that read _'Mandy', _the different shades of brown and blonde in her hair, and best of all, the mole that sits just above her lips.

When faced with something that seemingly perfect, you can only see what you want to see, so as not to ruin the image. You wouldn't see the scars I have just seen, because you would think to ask why she always wore long sleeves, even on a sweltering summer day. Hell, I spent the night with her, seeing and feeling her in ways and places that most men couldn't imagine. I didn't see a single imperfection or even a trace of one, anywhere on her body.

I continued to sulk in my shock as she revealed more of herself. Lifting her pant legs, revealing more scars that went all the way up to her knees and probably further.

I shut my eyes tight, trying to hold back tears that wanted out.

"See, Phil? This is why you don't need to know the truth. If I tell you, my life will get worse and, once again, I'll be the one to blame."

All I want to do is help her. And if this sense of ignorance is all I need to do so, then so be it.

I open my eyes and call her name. "When Mike comes back, he's going to tell me eventually..." she winces at the thought but I continue. "Let me out, Keels. I'll never have to hear a word from you or Mike about anything. I promise..."

She looks bewildered and uneasy, like that was the worst idea she'd ever heard. After thinking on it for a minute she realizes I'm right, but doesn't say a word.

"We can win this one, Keely. You know I'm right." I say, searching her eyes for confirmation.

She nods sheepishly and I can almost see a trace of a smile on her face. Standing abruptly, she leaves the room and tells me she'll be right back. Her footsteps are heavy down the hallway and she returns within a minute, keys in hand.

A huge smile plasters itself on my face. "Unlock me, Rose!" I joke, reminiscing the moment she told me _Titanic _was her favorite movie. She smiles and works the keys as fast as she can. The last lock is on my right foot, she fumbles the keys a few times but finally, I'm free. I practically lunge at her, pulling her into the tightest hug I'd ever given. She moans quietly and I sense the joy in her voice as she then says, "I love you, Phil."

I let her free. I want to say it back but I almost don't believe her. I can't believe that any girl, much less Keely, could feel this way about me. "Me?" I ask, stupidly.

She smiles widely and kisses me as a sort of confirmation. Noticing I'm still in shock, she grabs my hand and pulls me into the hallway. "We should go before,"

"Yeah... Yeah, let's get out of here."

She leads me down the staircase and into another dark corridor in the back of the house, which led to another staircase going to the basement.

I waited at the bottom of the stairs as she embraced the darkness, searching for the light switch. Moments later, the single hanging bulb flickered on and revealed only Keely and I in the basement. She looked confused, spinning in circles and scanning the room.

"They're gone," she says. "Lloyd and Pim and your mom were all down here, chained to these pipes." She points to the pipes running along the walls of the basement.

Just as I'm about to ask what's going on, I hear heavy footsteps above us followed by a series of loud bangs. Keely and I exchange thoughtful glances.

It's Mike.

"What's plan B?" I ask, curiously.

She scoffs at me and whispers, "I never had a plan A!"

My mind immediately contemplates the wrath of Mike. What would he do to me if he finds us? What would he do to Keely? Couldn't be any worse than the flood of bruises he left on her earlier. Just the mere thought of them infuriates me.

"Follow me," she murmurs.

We go to a nearby metal door where she ushers me inside and locks the door behind her. She removes her shoelaces to create a makeshift lock on the inside of the door, tying the door handle to a nearby wooden shelf.

The shelf takes up almost the entire closet, limiting the space we both have to move. She shushes me and within seconds, Mike is downstairs, terrorizing the basement in rage.

"I know you two lovebirds are down here! Don't make me come and find you..." Mike closes in on our location and I'm almost sure he'll find us. "Ya' know, Phillip, Lloyd always used to tell me '_Don't trust anyone at WizrdTech. They'll screw you over in a microsecond.' _Boy was he tellin' the truth."

Mike was just inches away from the door now. I had the feeling he knew we were in here, but he'd prefer to patronize us until we let ourselves out.

He continues, "As I was saying back in the room, before I left... Lloyd and I used to work together, and he used to tell me I was sure to get promoted. All I had to do was a little butt-kissin'. You know what Lloyd didn't tell me? He sure as shit was doin' enough 'butt-kissin' for the both of us," he said, slamming his hand on the wall.

"_He _got promoted and I got fired. He didn't even say goodbye to me... Got me thinking, maybe he knows my secret."

Next to me in the closet, Keely laid her head against the door and sighed. She wrapped her hand in mine and squeezed.

Meanwhile, Mike was also resting a part of himself on the outside of the door. His voice grew quiet. "Keely... You have exactly five seconds to open this goddamn door... Or so help me, I'll reveal everyone of your dirty little secrets."

"Five..."

He began and she started to unlace her makeshift lock. I reached for her hand, trying to stop her, but she pulled away, telling me to give it up.

"Four..."

I pleaded with her not to open that door. "We can wait it out," I tried to tell her.

"Three..."

She struggled undoing the lace around the wooden shelf, as it was tangled on a rusty nail. She became frantic, trying to open the door. Pulling and tugging as hard as she could.

"Two..."

I attempted to pull her away and come her nerves, but she kicked and screamed for me to let her go. "I've almost got it!" She pleads.

"One..."

I've been trying to figure out what secret could be so terrible and damaging, enough to "ruin" her life even more. I can't connect the dots myself. Not without all of the details, which I also don't know. Maybe I was wrong to hold her back. Like, by keeping her from getting was similar to me reading her diary. Whatever Mike was about to say was evidently a secret too crucial and risky for my ears to hear. But my selfish needs didn't seem to care. I held her from the door until he opened his mouth again.

"That's how you wanna play it? Okay..." He took a deep breath in. "Keely, do you remember me telling you about the woman I dated before your mother?"

Keely lets out a sob and I rub her back calmly. She looks up at me, anger all across her face, and shoves me into the shelf. "You promised!" She screams at me before dropping to the floor.

"You might know her, too, Phillip... Her name..." He pauses.

Keely rests her head on the door. "Please, Mike..."

Mike lets out a maniacal laugh, and at this point I realize it doesn't matter whether we open the door or not. He'll tell me sooner or later, if he doesn't kill me first.

"Her _name_! Was Barb Diffy..."

**Well there you have it. I took much too long writing this chapter, as you may have noticed. Actually it only took a day (can you tell?) but I was extremely unmotivated for much too long. Nevertheless, this chapter was a lot of fun to write. As I writing for Mike, I kept getting this blindingly obvious picture in my head. I kept imaging Mike as Matthew McConaughey. I believe he'd make an excellent Mike.**

**Be expecting one more chapter. I think that'll take care of it.**

**Anyhow, please take a minute or so to review this chapter if you see fit. I really appreciate the feedback.**


	12. The Year 2111

**When Your Knees Buckle**

Chapter 12: The Year 2111

In the year 2111, I turn five.

I can remember that day, now more vividly than ever. My dad took the day off to spend time with me, make it special. He rented a Super Jump 9000 for me and all of my friends and I remember being disappointed because that particular jump house only fit three hundred kids and only let you jump six hundred feet. But at the end of the day, my friends were happy, so I was happy.

It didn't hit me until now. All of my family was there. Uncle Linus and aunt Ren, my cousins Gary, Traven, and Kira. Hundreds of unnameable kids in my neighborhood, and my grandparents, Kyle Jr. and Geraldine. All on my mom's side.

But there was one little girl in particular at that party that I spent most all of my time with.

Little Keely Teslow.

I recall her hair being in pigtails that day, held up with orange hair ties. It was brown, not blonde, maybe the reason I didn't recognize her. She wore a silver frilly dress with little orange flowers trickled throughout. She came at me, skipping alongside her mother, bearing a gift box the size of a CD case.

"Happy Nirday, Phil!" She oozed, stuffing the box in my face.

I gladly took it and thanked her accordingly, asking, "Wanna go on my Super Jump with me?"

She nodded enthusiastically and we ran to the Super Jump, joining the other kids in a joyous day.

Mike wasn't there. He took my dad's shift that day, just so he could throw me this party. In fact, I remember my mom asking where Mike was as Mandy and Keely arrived.

Mandy and my mom had been close for years, long before I was born. Long before Mandy met Mike, which was in 2109, when Keely was only three years old.

I know I was only a kid, and I didn't understand the things I do now. But thinking back, or forward, on it... There's was always a sort of unacknowledged tension between my mom and Mandy. They both acted strangely whenever Mike was around but only if my dad my wasn't there. He was kind of the peacekeeper for three of them.

As Mike continued, the pieces of the story seemed to be fitting together much more accurately than I'd expected.

Turns out, Mike was fired three days after my Nirday. He blamed my dad which led to their falling-out. After which, Keely and I never spoke.

When 2121 finally came, my dad went through the time machine renting process. He told my mom that we were leaving for good.

"So, yeah, Phillip... You are my son. When I found out that your _dad _was removing you from the century... Well, I think you know what happens next," Mike kicked the door over and over, aiding it to break.

I watched silently as his polished Bulldozer Boots came bursting through the door, again and again, until he could enter.

Time seemed to have frozen. The Bulldozer Boot was mid-kick and halfway through the door. I looked at Keely who was holding an Alpha Wizrd.

"How did you do that?" I ask her, puzzled. I knew that Wizrd model was new, but I had no clue that it could freeze time.

"Are you mad at me, Phil?" She slips the Wizrd in her back pocket and crosses her arms nervously.

"Keely, how did you-"

"Phil, are you mad at me?" She urges.

At this particular moment, I don't know how to feel. I use the time given to me to storm out of this musty closet of lies. All this time she had the means to save ourselves and she didn't do it until now... It almost makes me think she wanted me to know everything. She just didn't want to tell me herself.

"Where are you going, Phil!?" She calls after me.

I continue walking out, up the stairs, down the hallway and out the front door. She doesn't follow. I start to wonder how long this time freeze will last and if she'll ever come to find me.

And then there's the elephant in the room.

Quite technically, Keely is my sister. And she knew it, too, which is what makes this whole situation very wrong. Like a bad remake of Cruel Intentions.

"Phil," Yurna appears behind me. I forgot she was here. "It's not Keely's fault. She didn't know."

Shouldn't she be attacking me or something? Drugging me and tying me to another bed?

"Will you talk to me, please?" She asks.

I turn towards and nod, following her back inside.

She takes me to the kitchen and prepares a pot of coffee. "Want any?" I shake my head.

"Keely didn't know?" I pose.

"No, she didn't, Phil... In fact, she's just found out the morning after you're guys' little... You know," she says.

"Why are you being nice to me?"

She stirs her coffee on the counter before sitting down next to me. "I'm not a big fan of Mike's, believe it or not..."

"So why help him?"

She hesitates. "... Did Mike get to the part about his ex-wife?" I nod. "Mandy and I, we have a similar story. Only difference is that I'm not going to fail." She sips her coffee sullenly.

"Fail at what?" I question.

"Killing Mike."

There's a painful silence that follows before I speak. "Yurna?" She looks at me. "Where's my family?"

Her face turns cold and she places her coffee cup on the table, crossing her arms tightly. "Do you know what year it is, Phil?"

The year?... I didn't even think about that.

She continues. "It's 2126," she reveals.

Al that time when I was knocked out on who knows what, he took me back to the future.

"You're parents are dead, Phil."

**I've decided I'd like to let this one drag out a little longer. Maybe another chapter or two is in order... Don't forget to review before you go!**


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